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- By Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
ZUNI, N.M. — The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project received a $25,000 Judges’ Award at the inaugural UpTide Nonprofit Accelerator Showcase, held Jan. 28 in New York City. The showcase marked the culmination of a six-month accelerator program for five nonprofit leaders from across the country; hosted by the 92NY Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact, it also was made possible with support from Seed Spot.
Selected from nearly 350 nonprofit applicants representing 42 states and territories, ZYEP was one of the five organizations chosen to participate in the program. The $25,000 award will serve as seed funding for its newly established endowment, helping ensure its programs continue serving Zuni children for generations.
“Our core programs are now childhood staples here in Zuni,” said Tahlia Natachu-Eriacho, ZYEP’s executive director. “It’s our responsibility to make sure they continue — not just for today’s children, but for the generations who will come after them. Our children have a birthright to reach their full potential.”
ZYEP launched in 2009 with just one program, Summer Camp, and a strong vision: to create safe, positive spaces where Zuni youth could build healthy habits, leadership skills and a strong connection to their culture. In the early days, the youth project operated out of the trunk of a car, then a condemned shed, and later a FEMA trailer.
Today, the organization has a permanent home at Ho’n A:wan Park, a campus that includes a turf field, garden, kitchen, classrooms and offices.
“We started with 20 kids that first year,” said Natachu-Eriacho, who began her ZYEP journey as a high school Summer Camp counselor. “Now we serve more than 1,000 Zuni youth every year.”
Approximately 30 percent of Zuni’s youth population participates in ZYEP programming annually. Children ages 4 to 15 take part in sports, nutrition, dance, art and culture programs designed to instill healthy habits, while young adults ages 16 to 24 have paid work experiences that support these enriching programs directly, allowing them to build their leadership and career skills.
ZYEP’s data reflects measurable impact. The staff has seen a 6 percent increase in the number of youth reporting that they feel more connected to Zuni culture — and a 10 percent increase in the number reporting positive health indicators.
Survey results also show that 87 percent of young adults say working at ZYEP has helped them become better leaders. And 94 percent of families say that their child gained a positive role model through program participation.
During her presentation in New York on Jan. 28, Natachu-Eriacho outlined ZYEP’s plan to build an endowment that will help reduce the administrative strain of managing more than 20 short-term grants at any given time.
“The endowment will allow us to move beyond a survival mindset,” she explained. “It will give our staff breathing room to focus on creativity, program quality and deepening impact instead of constantly worrying about the next funding cycle.”
The UpTide Nonprofit Accelerator, launched by 92NY, is designed to support community-building nonprofits through strategic planning, executive coaching and growth funding. Natachu-Eriacho’s six-month cohort met regularly starting in September 2025, and each organization developed a three-year strategic plan focused on sustainability and impact.
For ZYEP, that planning process centered on three priorities: sustaining and strengthening existing programs, ensuring administrative stability, and identifying service gaps. One such gap involves middle school youth, who have significant needs and fewer structured opportunities.
Natachu-Eriacho described the cohort experience as transformative.
“The five of us came into the program as our whole selves,” she said. “They took the time to understand who we are and the communities we serve. We built meaningful relationships, and the experience was more impactful than I expected. I am so amazed and inspired by the other four organizations and their great work.”
She added that the award is not simply recognition of organizational growth. It acknowledges collective effort that goes far beyond ZYEP itsel
“Like many indigenous communities, we think in terms of seven generations,” she said. “This work isn’t about one person. It’s about all of us back home. It’s about the generations who came before us, those doing the work today, and those who will come after. We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams.”
Natachu-Eriacho also noted that the $25,000 award represents more than funding. It signals national confidence in a model rooted in Zuni culture, community leadership and a strong long-term vision — and it provides momentum to build on nearly 17 years of steady growth.
“Our children show up, year after year,” she said. “They rely on us. This is about honoring that trust and ensuring we remain here for them far into the future.”
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